Concepts are defined as abstract ideas. They are understood to be the fundamental building blocks underlying principles, thoughts and beliefs. They play an important role in all aspects of cognition. As such, concepts are studied by several disciplines, such as linguistics, psychology, and philosophy, and these disciplines are interested in the logical and psychological structure of concepts, and how they are put together to form thoughts and sentences. The study of concepts has served as an important flagship of an emerging interdisciplinary approach called cognitive science.

अवधारणा या संकल्पना या संप्रत्यय (concept) भाषा दर्शन का शब्द है जो संज्ञात्मक विज्ञान, तत्त्वमीमांसा एवं मस्तिष्क के दर्शन से सम्बन्धित है। इसे 'अर्थ' की संज्ञात्मक ईकाई, एक अमूर्त विचार, या मानसिक प्रतीक के तौर पर समझा जाता है।